Treasured Collections

Have you read The Life-changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo or seen her Netflix series? I’ve done both and as a person who likes things neat and orderly, I find her wisdom invaluable. I’m down to 6 pairs of jeans that I love, my underwear are now neatly folded into squares, and I gave up the potato ricer I never used.

But…and it’s a big one…I kept my collections—all of them.

This is kind of embarrassing, but I collect old silver, vintage hand-cut glass jewelry (paste), specialty tea towels, tiny boxes, dainty tea cups, matchstick holders, milk glass, aprons, pre-1970 Santas, blue and white transferware, white pitchers, Shiny Brite tree ornaments, and Heidi books.

It’s impossible to choose which of your children you cherish the most—they’re all perfect in your eyes and unique in their way. I collect the jewelry because it sparks light and also joy (Marie Kondo’s method of choosing what to keep). It conjures up images for me of swanky nightclubs and frosty martinis in crystal glasses. I think of nostalgic movies like Breakfast at Tiffany’sand Diamonds are a Girl’s Best Friend.

My Heidi books? Well, that’s simple; they have my name (Spelled wrong, I might add : )on the cover…along with the author’s, Johanna Spyri. The graphics are charming and the story a classic, full of heart and kindness.

The Santas are jolly, and this collection keeps me busy. I’m on the constant search for Santas of color. Let me know if you find a stash.

The silver is a collection that chose me. My husband inherited a few pieces, and I polished them. Then I found a dented teapot in the neighbor’s trash and asked if I could have it. The next thing I knew, I had amassed an impressive collection that is somewhat valuable. The value is only important because it heightens the thrill of the treasure hunt. Like the five-dollar ladle I scooped up at a garage sale. It’s English, very old, and appraised at $275. This is better than getting a Ralph Lauren blazer marked down, marked down at Nordstrom.

My most precious collection is the hardest to maintain and the most eclectic—my friends. This collection tells me things I don’t want to hear: that I have lipstick on my teeth or that there’s another way to look at things. This collection hugs me on sad days, suggests that I kick it up a notch on a power walk, and brews me a cup of tea with honey and even sweeter conversation. This collection doesn’t sit on a shelf, or in a curio cabinet, or a velvet lined box. This collection goes wherever I go, because my friends are and always will be held safely in my heart.